Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Wilson.
Hi Nick, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been infatuated with drawing and design from a young age.
The electric guitar has always been a design object that captured my imagination. Even before I played the instrument myself, my middle school notebook margins were full of guitar sketches and daydreams of my instruments being played on stage one day. I spent my time after school researching the technical aspects of guitars and their construction.
In early high school, my Boy Scout troop was given the opportunity to complete our woodworking merit badge at one of the scout’s fathers’ woodshops. I was immediately in love with everything about woodworking and saw my opportunity to make those dreams a reality.
I asked Mr. Bates to mentor me in woodworking, and he generously shared his expertise and passion with me, guiding me through several projects including my first electric guitar! After this turning point, I saw inspiration and design opportunities everywhere.
I continued to pursue woodworking and guitar building for years before considering Prophecy Instruments as a business.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall, I have to say, I’ve had a relatively smooth progression with my work. My saving grace has been the wealth of resources available through online luthiery communities, and the support of people in my personal life.
The biggest obstacle I’ve faced in moving my work forward is coming to the realization that I do not have to be alone tortured artist paining over every detail of my work.
As much as this romantic ideal appeals to me – accepting help and allowing other experts space to make suggestions and improvements is a critical portion of my workflow, and a lesson I hope all artists learn as soon as possible!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a crafter of unique instruments, uniting traditional woodworking techniques with modern precision to build instruments that inspire the player. I specialize in ergonomic optimization and extended-range instruments, prioritizing cutting-edge features and versatility.
Instrument-building is its own art form and I take pride in the aesthetic form and crafting of each model, but I am also a lover of music, and I view instruments primarily as tools for the musician. Not only do I strive to build the best tools out there, but I also hope for them to be artistic muses as well.
Incorporating ergonomic theories to facilitate practical play, my designs approach the instrument as a sculpture, conceived as a three-dimensional object with sweeping surfaces and aesthetic curves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have to consider myself lucky for the confluence of circumstances that led me to the point I am at in my work today.
I’m not a particularly superstitious person, but looking back, I can easily trace a path of fortuitous individuals, events, and influences that paved the way for my success.
This “luck” has given me the resolve and confidence that guitar building is what I am meant to do in this life.
Pricing:
- Custom instruments start at $3,000.
Contact Info:
- Email: prophecyinstruments@gmail.com
- Website: prophecyinstruments.com
- Instagram: @prophecyinstruments
- Facebook: facebook.com/prophecyinstruments
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYa5sFu5ZP9OjlS8KFTgPg
